{"id":31347,"date":"2023-09-19T19:33:18","date_gmt":"2023-09-19T19:33:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2023\/09\/19\/will-dems-change-senate-rules-to-push-ahead-military-nominations\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T15:25:28","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T15:25:28","slug":"will-dems-change-senate-rules-to-push-ahead-military-nominations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/congress\/2023\/09\/19\/will-dems-change-senate-rules-to-push-ahead-military-nominations\/","title":{"rendered":"Will Dems change Senate rules to push ahead military nominations?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Senate Democrats are not yet publicly discussing possible chamber rules changes to get around a Republican senator\u2019s hold on more than 300 senior defense nominees<\/a>, but insisted Tuesday that without relief soon the military could face severe consequences<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All senior military promotions and nominations have been on hold since late February<\/a>, when Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., took procedural steps to block fast-track consideration of all Defense Department confirmation votes. Tuberville objects to the Defense Department\u2019s abortion access policies, <\/a>put in place in late 2022, which allow for leave time and travel stipends for troops to travel across state lines for access to abortion services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Tuesday, Democratic critics of the hold worked to literally put faces on the growing list of military members caught up in the political showdown. Outside the Capitol building, members of the group VoteVets<\/a> \u2014 which has ties to the Democratic Party \u2014 set up posters with names and portraits of the hundreds of nominees being affected by Tuberville\u2019s blockade<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe impact of teamwork in the military is critical,\u201d said retired Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton, senior advisor to VoteVets. \u201cWe have a senator that we need to get turned around on this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t